System and method for hoisting submarine hose

ABSTRACT

A system and method to be used on a ship moored offshore to hoist submarine hoses from the floor of the ocean to the deck of the vessel. The system and method employs utilization of two cables or falls, the first of which is first attached to a buoy connected to the submarine hose by a chain and then raised as high as possible. The second fall is then attached as low as possible to the chain and it too is hoisted as high as possible within the limits of the boom used. The buoy on the first fall is then lowered to the deck of the vessel and the first fall is then attached low on the chain and hoisted as high as possible. By alternately attaching the first and second falls as low as possible to the chain and hoisting them as high as possible the hose attached to the bottom of the chain is eventually brought to the surface and onto the deck of the vessel.

nited States ecraft [54] SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR HOISTING SUBMARINE HOSE 72 Inventor: Donald E. Becrait, Pacifica, Calif.

[73] Assignee: C. J. Hendry Company, San Francisco,

Calif.

[22] Filed: Dec. 9, 1970 I21l Appl.No.: 96,502

[451 Feb. 1972 Primary Examiner-Evan C. Blunk Assistant Examiner-Johnny D. Cherry Attorney-Flehr, Hohbach, Test, Albritton 8: Herbert [57] ABSTRACT A system and method to be used on a ship moored ofishore to hoist submarine hoses from the floor of the ocean to the deck of the vessel. The system and method employs utilization of two cables or falls, the first of which is first attached to a buoy connected to the submarine hose by a chain and then raised as high as possible. The second fall is then attached as low as possible to the chain and it too is hoisted as high as possible within the limits of the boom used. The buoy on the first fall is then lowered to the deck of the vessel and the first fall is then attached low on the chain and hoisted as high as possible. By alternately attaching the first and second falls as low as possible to the chain and hoisting them as high as possible the hose attached to the bottom of the chain is eventually brought to the surface and onto the deck of the vessel.

4 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENIED FEB 81972 3 40 40 SHEET 2 BF 2 I FIG-2G INVENTOR. Dav/7w f. 35594;?

1M, mum w SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR I-IOISTING SUBMARINE HOSE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION For over 30 years it has been the practice to load and unload tankers by means of submarine hoses, one end of which lies offshore and the other end of which is connected to a storage tank system on the beach. The offshore end of the hose is marked by and is secured to a hose buoy. When it is desired to load or unload a tanker through the hose, the vessel is pulled alongside of the hose buoy and moored at the offshore site. The hose is then brought onto the deck of the vessel by means of a boom and fall which is connected to the top of the hose buoy. The buoy is hoisted as high as possible and held there by the fall. While in this raised position a stopper is used to secure the buoy chain to the vessel at the deck line. The stopper is usually in the form of a fiber or wire rope used to tie the chain to some fixed part of the vessel. After the chain is thus secured the fall is slacked off slightly to check the holding of the stopper and the buoy is then lowered to the deck. The fall is removed from the buoy, attached to the chain below the stopper and then hoisted slightly to relieve the load on the stopper. The stopper is then released and the fall raised as high as possible at which time the chain is again stopped at the deck line of the vessel and the operation is repeated until the end of the hose is lifted on board. Not only is stopping off the chain at the deck line very time consuming, it is also a severe safety hazard subjecting the crew to severe danger each time the stopper is secured and released.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION AND OBJECTS The invention is incorporated in the use of two falls used alternately rather than a single fall together with a stopper. Each of the falls raises the buoy or chain independently and without the need of any tying off or securing the line at the deck level. Recognizing that most tankers have but a single boom on one side of the vessel, means are provided whereby both runners are carried by the single boom but operated independently.

In general it is an object of the present invention to provide a safer and faster system and method of raising submarine hoses from the ocean floor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG 1 is a perspective view of a tanker showing details of the system utilized in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 2a through 23 are schematic drawings showing the step-by-step operation of the system and method of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIG. 1 there is shown a tanker 11 having a forward house 13, port and starboard masts l5 and 17, booms l9 and 21 and topping lifts 23 and 25. Referring to the starboard side as typical, a boom collar 27 is fixed to the head of the boom 21 and carries two headblocks 29 and 31. Two heelblocks 33 and 35 are located at the base of the mast 17. A first fall 37 having a hook 39 is passed about the headblock 29 and the heelblock 33 directly to the drum 41 of a starboard winch 43. A second fall 45 is passed about the headblock 31, the heelblock 33 and fair leaders 47 and 49 to the drum 51 of the port winch 53.

As can be seen more particularly in schematic diagram FIG. 2, the system thus described is used to lift the hose marker buoy 55 and attached chain 57 to which is connected the submarine hose 59. FIGS. 2a through 2g represent consecutive steps in the method of the invention. It is assumed, of course, that the vessel has been moored in the conventional manner to permost hei ht permitted b the position of the block 29 at which time c second fall 5 ls connected to the chain 57 at the lowest position practical. The second fall is then hoisted to its uppermost position as shown in FIG. 2c and the first fall 37 is slacked off to lower the buoy 55 onto the deck of the ship, as shown in FIG. 2d. The first fall is then reconnected to the chain 57 again at the lowest practical position as shown in FIG. 2e and hoisted again to the uppermost position as shown in FIG. 2f. At this point the second fall 45 is slacked off to lower additional length of the chain 57 to the deck, as shown in FIG. 23. The steps shown in FIGS. 2b through 2g are then repeated until the hose 59 is lifted aboard at which time it may be coupled to the loading or discharge headers on the tanker.

In order to further expedite the operation, the various steps of lowering the buoy or lengths of chain onto the deck may be carried out simultaneously with the various steps of raising the chain. For instance, the steps shown in FIGS. 20 and 2d may be carried out at the same time.

The advantages of the present invention over the timehonored yet hazardous and time-consuming system of the prior art can be readily understood from the above description. There is no longer any need for a crewman to be subjected to the dangers of stopping off the chain and checking the stopper after each lifting operation. Likewise there is no need to remove the stopper after the fall is attached to the chain. Not only is the hazard substantially reduced, but the loss of time in securing, checking and releasing the stopper is also avoided.

I claim:

1. A method for hoisting to the deck of a vessel, a submarine hose connected to a marker buoy on the water surface by means of a chain, said method comprising the steps of:

a. hoisting said marker buoy and its attached chain with a first fall,

b. securing a second fall to said chain at a position between the first fall and the submarine hose,

c. hoisting the chain with the second fall,

d. slacking off the first fall to lower a portion of the chain to the deck of the vessel,

e. securing the first fall to said chain at a position between the second fall and the submarine hose,

f. hoisting the chain with the first fall,

g. slacking off the second fall to lower an additional portion of the chain onto the deck of the vessel, and

h. repeating steps (b) through (g) until said hose is raised to the deck of the vessel.

2. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein steps (c) and (d) are performed simultaneously and steps (f) and (g) are also performed simultaneously.

3. A method for hoisting to the deck of a vessel, a submarine hose connected to a marker buoy on the water surface by means of a chain, said method comprising the steps of hoisting said marker buoy with a first fall and thereafter hoisting said chain by the alternate use of a second fall and said first fall.

4. A system for hoisting to the deck of a vessel, a submarine hose connected by a chain to a marker buoy on the water surface, said system comprising:

a. a boom secured to said vessel,

b. a first fall depending from said boom,

c. a second fall also depending from said boom,

d. means, connected to each of said falls, for detachably connecting them to said chain, and

e. means, connected to said falls, for alternately hoisting one after the other whereby the chain and the connected submarine hose are raised to the deck of the vessel.

.... an Ann 

1. A method for hoisting to the deck of a vessel, a submarine hose connected to a marker buoy on the water surface by means of a chain, said method comprising the steps of: a. hoisting said marker buoy and its attached chain with a first fall, b. securing a second fall to said chain at a position between the first fall and the submarine hose, c. hoisting the chain with the second fall, d. slacking off the first fall to lower a portion of the chain to the deck of the vessel, e. securing the first fall to said chain at a position between the second fall and the submarine hose, f. hoisting the chain with the first fall, g. slacking off the second fall to lower an additional portion of the chain onto the deck of the vessel, and h. repeating steps (b) through (g) until said hose is raised to the deck of the vessel.
 2. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein steps (c) and (d) are performed simultaneously and steps (f) and (g) are also performed simultaneously.
 3. A method for hoisting to the deck of a vessel, a submarine hose connected to a marker buoy on the water surface by means of a chAin, said method comprising the steps of hoisting said marker buoy with a first fall and thereafter hoisting said chain by the alternate use of a second fall and said first fall.
 4. A system for hoisting to the deck of a vessel, a submarine hose connected by a chain to a marker buoy on the water surface, said system comprising: a. a boom secured to said vessel, b. a first fall depending from said boom, c. a second fall also depending from said boom, d. means, connected to each of said falls, for detachably connecting them to said chain, and e. means, connected to said falls, for alternately hoisting one after the other whereby the chain and the connected submarine hose are raised to the deck of the vessel. 